Two California teenagers have been awarded $1 million and tuition reimbursement after a Santa Clara County jury sided with them on two claims concerning breach of oral contract and lack of due process.
The teens, identified by the initials A.H.
and H.H., sued Saint Francis High School in August 2020 following accusations of blackface that led to their withdrawal from the elite Mountain View school.
According to attorney Krista Baughman, the jury believed the boys were wearing innocent face masks rather than engaging in blackface.
The teens initially sought $20 million when they filed suit in Santa Clara County Superior Court after photos circulated of them sporting acne treatment masks that were dark green.
The school was accused of not properly investigating the incident before forcing the students to withdraw.
The lawsuit asserts that Principal Katie Teekell and other administrators did not offer to investigate the allegations against the boys or help in removing the photograph from circulation, which caused significant damage to their reputations.
The plaintiffs claim the principal’s violation of her verbal agreement constituted a breach of oral contract.
As part of the jury award, Saint Francis High School must reimburse the teen’s moving and living costs after H.H.
moved to Utah with his family in order to be eligible to play football during his senior year of high school.
In its statement, the school said it “respectfully disagrees” with the jury’s conclusion regarding the fairness of their disciplinary review process and is now exploring legal options, including an appeal.
